There is provided a steering column device in which the outer column and the inner column are axially and slidably fitted to each other to cause a telescopic position of the steering wheel to be adjusted or a collision load at the time of secondary collision. In such a steering column device described above, a distance bracket for use in clamping the inner column while the diameter of the outer column is reduced is integrally formed with the outer column.
For example, when the outer column is formed by a steel pipe, the distance bracket formed by a press work is welded to the outer column and integrally fixed (Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 5). In addition, there is also provided a system that both the outer column and the distance bracket are integrally formed by an aluminum die casting process (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, Patent Document 4, Patent Document 6, Patent Document 7).
However, the prior art constitution in which the distance bracket is welded to the outer column or integrally formed by a die-casting process had a problem that a manufacturing cost is increased due to a complex structure of the outer column.
[Patent Document 1] Gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-053048
[Patent Document 2] Gazette of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 128564/1991
[Patent Document 3] Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,265
[Patent Document 4] Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,807
[Patent Document 5] Specification of U.S. Patent Laid-Open No. 2003/0000330
[Patent Document 6] Brochure of WIPO WO03/059718
[Patent Document 7] Brochure of WIPO WO03/095286